The Tables Finally Turned
by Serenity Vi Britannia
Summary: AU Code Geass. Rolo's Nunally's twin, Lelouch has a twin sister, Suzaku is torn between princesses. Things have gotten more complicated, and the tables have finally turned. Rated T for now, may go higher, but there will be some cursing, just an FYI.
1. Preface

A/N: Okay, so it's been awhile since I wrote a story, but I figured I'd get back into it and try a Code Geass story. It's AU and got an OC and Rolo is really Nunally's twin so if you're turned off by that then either leave or build a bridge and get over it. ANYWAY! I do not own Code Geass, nor do I own Lelouch, Rolo, Nunally, Suzaku (even though I think he's adorkable) or anyone. Only person I own is Usagi. Pretty sad, I know, but still.

* * *

_*Clomp clomp clomp*_

_The sound of the guards in heavy boots echoed through the cell walls, even if someone was asleep, they'd either never sleep again or go mad trying to figure out when the guards would come for them. It was maddening, every day the same sound-the clomping of boots up and down the halls of the jail-like holding place in the Black Knight's base. There were men begging for release to get back to their wives and children, there were some who just screamed profanities and told of a great evil that would descend on the guards' souls if they were not let out. _

_The footsteps stopped in front of a more isolated cell in the third cell block, the guards positioning themselves on either side of the door as a man in a black cloak approached, his face covered by his trademark helmet. Zero was making a personal call to one of the prisoners._

"_When I go in, neither of you are to repeat anything you may have heard, understood?" Zero commented as the guards stood at attention and nodded._

"_Yes sir!"_

"_Good, that is all" Zero answered, the larger of the two guards plugging in the combo in the keypad and the door slid open. Zero slid into the room and closed the door behind him and smirked beneath his helmet at the male crumpled on the floor. Arms bound behind his back, brown hair sticking out every which way, and when Zero entered, emerald green eyes glared right back up at him. "Hello, Suzaku Kururugi."_

"_So, the king himself decided to grant me a visit this time," Suzaku croaked, forcing a smirk up at the other male as Zero got a good look at his face. Bruises and small cuts decorated the White Knight's tan skin, going down his face and all over his body. So Suzaku was less cooperative than he'd expected, excellent. _

"_Oh you flatter me Mr. Knight, and here I thought you hated me," Zero could easily banter with the boy. He'd done it for years when they were kids, and yet Suzaku hadn't figured out it was Lelouch behind the mask. Idiot. At his words, Suzaku glared up at Zero again, but was smart enough not to say anything, so Zero continued. "So anyway, back to the main reason why I'm here. It seems Euphemia has been planning something with Cornelia to get back at me for stealing you away. Would you happen to know anything about that, sir knight?"_

_Suzaku's face fell, but he quickly covered it up with another smirk "So the great Zero can't even figure out what a princess is planning. You know she's going to save me, so what makes you think I'd tell you what she's thinking?"_

_Zero couldn't help but laugh at Suzaku's words. He set himself up for it. Once he'd gotten ahold of himself, Zero smirked, pulling a photograph out of his pocket and tossing it at the boy. Suzaku looked down at the picture and his eyes widened in horror at the shot of Lelouch and his family out in the schoolyard and a dark-haired girl that shared many of Lelouch's features tackled his best friend in the photo. "I happen to know that your Rabbit is back in Japan, with her brother. If you don't cooperate then I'll be forced to eliminate the only people left that you care for."_

"_Don't you dare bring them into this!" Suzaku roared, trying to stand to his feet, but falling to his knees in exhaustion from his beating earlier this morning. Zero laughed at the boy and walked over, grabbing Suzaku by the neck and slamming him against the wall behind him, the brunette whimpering in pain._

"_You're not in a position to be making demands, Kururugi. And besides, since when do you care about Usagi? You accepted Euphemia's offer to be her knight, did you not? How does Usagi feel about all this anyway?" Zero answered, his own anger towards the boy showing. Lelouch had sat idly by as his sister's heart broke when she heard on the news-not from Suzaku-that he was to be Euphemia's knight. Usagi and Suzaku have had feelings for each other since childhood and he goes off and pledges himself to another. It infuriated Lelouch that his best friend would do that, and now he wanted answers. If he got to destroy Euphemia for his twin as a result, then he'd be fine with that. At his questioning, Suzaku's eyes widened in shock, Zero raising an eyebrow as he noticed the pain in Suzaku's eyes. What the hell was with this guy? "You didn't tell her, did you? How low. Claiming to care for someone, then pledging yourself to her _sister_-"_

"_Shut up!" Suzaku cried, earning another slam against the wall from Zero. The boy bit his lip to prevent another cry of pain, feeling some liquid start to seep from the back of his head. Zero noted he'd actually drawn blood from the boy and he growled, giving Suzaku's neck a slight squeeze._

"_Talk, or I'll make the call and your friends will be gone," Zero hissed, listening to Suzaku gasp for air and attempt to secure his feet to the wall to get some leverage and air into his lungs. When tears started to fall from those large green eyes, and Suzaku finished struggling, Zero let go, the boy falling to the ground again. Suzaku curled up on the ground, still bound, but crying all the same as he looked up at his captor-the fury leaving his eyes and being replaced with the same anguish Lelouch had seen years ago. _

"_Please, I don't know… Please don't hurt them… Please Zero…."_

_Zero was so glad he was wearing a mask right now; otherwise Suzaku would have to see the pained expression on his face as he kneeled down by the boy, moving a strand of brown hair out of his face as he cried. Even though he'd never admit it, it hurt to see his best friend like this, and it also hurt to know about the boy's inner anguish and have to keep treating him like some kind of animal. Before he made his final call on Suzaku's fate later on, he needed to know the truth behind everything. He needed to know what Suzaku was thinking. "If you had to choose between Euphemia and the friends who have known and loved you for all those years, which would you choose?"_

_Suzaku tensed up at the question, at first not hearing it since he was ready for Zero to hit him again, but he stopped, looking up at his captor with a raised eyebrow as he processed the question. Lelouch, Usagi and the others, or Euphemia? How could he decide…? The boy closed his eyes, trying to think of why he was so torn, and flashes of memories went through his mind._

"I'm… Euphie!"

"Well new kid, want to work on this thing together?"

"Same old Suzaku, always thinking of everyone but himself."

"You didn't even _tell_ me that being her knight was an option!"

_Suzaku felt his heart throb, opening his eyes and feeling a few more tears fall, curling back up in a ball on the ground and ignoring Zero's question. The other boy sighed, standing and walking towards the door, but catching Suzaku whispering to himself as he cried. "I'm so sorry… Usagi… Please forgive me…"_

_Zero smirked, knowing that answered his question well enough and leaving the room, leaving a broken and injured knight behind. Now was the time for action. Whether Euphemia liked it or not, she was going to have a war on her hands, and it wasn't going to be pretty. It didn't matter how much Lelouch loved Euphemia, his full-blood siblings came first, above anyone else-especially his twin. Zero walked down the hall, pulling out his phone and sighing, pressing a number on speed dial and putting the phone to his ear "C2, I need you to come down here and take Suzaku somewhere. He's of no use to me anymore."_

"_And where, pray tell, do you want me to take him?"_

"_Back to my house, it's been long enough. I can't put him and my sister through this anymore."_

"_And people say you have no heart" C2 chuckled_

"_Just shut up and do it" he sighed, turning off the phone and leaving back down the hall where he came, the guards going back to their routines and the men in the cells going back to their ramblings. Lelouch turned, looking back at his best friend as the guards walked into his cell and untied his wrists, giving Suzaku back the pictures he'd had in his Lancelot and telling him he'd be removed within the week, locking him back in the cell. Suzaku seemed confused, but he smiled as he started to stick his photos up on the wall, coming to a picture of himself and Euphemia, frowning and ripping it in half-right between himself and the pink-haired princess. Euphemia had no plan to save him, he knew that now, but in the meantime he didn't want to see her face again. Zero smiled, knowing Suzaku had finally seen the light and left the room, going home to tell Usagi the news._


	2. Reunited

A/N: Ok, so I got bored today and wrote the first chapter. Second one coming up soon!

* * *

Usagi sighed, her violet eyes darting from the front of the room where her teacher was yammering on about Brittanian history to whatever the hell it was her twin was looking at outside the window. She raised an eyebrow as she nudged Lelouch slightly and he didn't move, leaning forward in her chair to discover he was asleep again. She sighed, rubbing her temples and turning back to the front, wishing she had the ability to sleep upright and without the teacher noticing. The last few days had been stressful, what with her best friend Suzaku Kururugi being framed for the murder of her half-brother, Clovis, and her demanding Lelouch fix what he'd done and reveal Zero was the one who killed Clovis. Usagi was the only one in their immediate family-besides Rolo-that knew Lelouch was really Zero. It was fine with her, as long as Lelouch didn't involve herself, Nunally or Rolo in his plans. He used Rolo in his plans whether she liked it or not, but he would lie off of Nunally-thankfully.

"And in 1955 our great ruler Charles zi Brittania was born.." the teacher droned on, causing Usagi to roll her eyes as her family history was now being taught. She didn't care when her father was born or how many pets he had or anything. Her father was a hateful man and didn't deserve to live, let alone have such a position of power. Blowing her bangs out of her face, the girl buried her face in her book with a groan, hoping she could get away with sleeping in class just this once.

"Lamperouge, up. Both of you," the teacher commented in his normal monotone, causing both twins to stare up at the front, muttering under their breath at the man. "Good, now before we start our group projects-Oh! Miss Ashford! What a nice surprise!"

The class turned to the front of the classroom where Milly Ashford appeared in her usual cheery blonde attitude at the door. She waved to the twins and made her way to the teacher, gesturing for someone to follow her, but no one really got a good look at who it was outside the door except the front row. The classroom was all atwitter as the front row started whispering to the rows behind them while Milly talked to the teacher. By the time the information got to Usagi and Lelouch, the twins exchanged a confused look and waited for Milly or the teacher to explain what was going on. After a few minutes, the man stood up from his conversation with Milly and turned to his students. "Class, it seems we're being graced with a new student. Would you come in please?"

Usagi turned to Lelouch, who shrugged and looked out the window with his usual bored expression, obviously not interested anymore. His sister chuckled, watching a squirrel run after a rabbit in the yard below, but she blinked in surprise when Lelouch had suddenly stiffened, turning his attention back to the classroom. What had happened? Did they get yelled at again? Usagi raised an eyebrow and turned to the front of the classroom, her own eyes widening at who the new student was.

"This is Suzaku Kururugi, as I'm sure most of you know already. He will be attending Ashford with you all from now on so make him feel welcome," the teacher's words were almost lost in Usagi's mind as she finally grasped what had happened. Standing before her, dark hair in its usual mop-head style and green eyes piercing into the back of the room was Suzaku. Her best friend, her confidant, and the person she hadn't seen in over 7 years. The boy seemed so… Stiff.

"This could be bad…" Lelouch's voice whispered, snapping Usagi out of her trance as she turned to her brother, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"We're not supposed to know him, and you know what these kids will do because of what the news said about him."

"Well why can't we just pretend to not know him and just make friends again?"

"It's not that simple."

"It is to me," Usagi sighed, turning back to Suzaku in the front as the teacher looked for a place to assign him to sit. Eventually he pointed to a seat in the same row as the Lamperouge twins, but across the middle aisle from them. Usagi's usually chipper face fell when she noticed everyone scooting away from Suzaku like he had the plague. Lelouch was right, this _could_ get bad.

~Later~

"Alright! Emergency meeting in progress!" Milly declared, grinning at the members of the student council. The others sighed, wondering what hare-brained scheme Milly had in store for them this time. "Everybody take a seat and we'll get started!"

Usagi chuckled, rubbing her temples slightly at how crazy Madame President could be and took a seat on the windowsill, looking out to the courtyard and the other hallways in the building. Even though she was technically only an honorary council member because of Lelouch, she felt it necessary to pop in on meetings from time to time when she didn't want to go to class.

As Milly started to drone on and on about their next "project" Usagi distracted herself with the sights outside. Again, there was the squirrel and the rabbit, but this time was different. The squirrel seemed to be in an argument with another squirrel over a nut and the first squirrel was thrown from the tree by the second squirrel. Usagi stiffened as the animal fell, but the rabbit bounded over from its hole and seemed to catch the squirrel. The girl breathed out in relief and watched as the second squirrel came down from the tree and seemed to be arguing with the rabbit, which was now standing between the angry squirrel and the slightly injured other squirrel. The bunny barred its large teeth and took a hop towards the squirrel, who lost its cool and went back up the tree. The rabbit then hopped over to its squirrel friend and nudged it with its nose. The squirrel got up and hugged the bunny, climbing on its back and the two of them hopping off.

Usagi blinked at how weird/random that was, but wondered if nature was really like that. She watched the rabbit and the squirrel run off to play and smiled slightly, how is it that different species of animals could get along, but not different kinds of people? A flash of white in one of the other hallways caught Usagi's attention and she looked up, spotting Suzaku running after a flash of white being tossed from jock to jock from the locker room. Usagi raised an eyebrow, watching the boys toss Suzaku's shirt from person to person and Usagi noticed red lettering scrawled across the boy's shirt. She didn't get a good look at what the writing said, but she narrowed her eyes as the boys continued to tease the brunette.

"Usagi! Are you listening?" Milly called and Usagi turned back around, smiling slightly.

"Sorry, got distracted."

"Well you should pay attention! This is very-oh my god!"

Usagi's attention snapped back to the window, where Milly saw the boys hold Suzaku's shirt over the edge, dropping it and pushing Suzaku over after it. Thankfully, his fall was broken by the bushes below and Usagi snapped, racing out of the student council room and down the stairs, the members of the council following soon after her. By the time Usagi made it to the courtyard, the boys had pulled Suzaku out of the bushes and surrounded him, pushing him from guy to guy, muttering things that were incoherent as a crowd started to form around them.

"Dammit Suzaku, he never fights back when it comes to defending himself" Lelouch hissed, glaring at the situation brewing before them as Usagi bolted from his side, pushing through the crowd to get to the brawl.

"Come on! You killed Clovis and you can't even defend yourself?"

"This is pathetic, you'd think since he's a soldier he'd have the balls to stick up for himself"

"Come on Kururugi, be a man!"

"Yeah! Show us how mad we're making you!"

That was when the fight became violent. The largest of the boys threw Suzaku to the ground, the boy wincing in pain but starting to stand up again, only to get a face full of another boy's fist. Suzaku cried out and fell to the ground, clutching his face as he shielded himself from future abuse, but none came. The boy looked up, still clutching his cheek, as he stood on wobbly legs-only to be caught by a pair of arms before he fell again. Suzaku blinked in surprise, looking down to see Usagi, glaring furiously at something on the ground. He raised an eyebrow, turning to see the boys who had been tormenting him on the ground, clutching themselves in various places. The crowd broke out in whispers, gossip immediately being spread as Usagi rolled her eyes, taking Suzaku's free arm and placing it around her shoulders to steady him. "Nurse. Now." She ordered, and Suzaku was happy to oblige, his vision swimming and his injuries from falling off the second floor balcony starting to emerge. He felt himself drifting in and out of consciousness, now wobbling more violently in Usagi's grip as she stopped and grabbed him with both arms.

"Shit. Lelouch!" she called, Suzaku's head falling onto her chest as everything started to go fuzzy. He spotted the shape of Lelouch and smiled in relief as the twins each took a side and carried him to the nurse, where his world went completely dark.

* * *

A/N: Okay, hope you enjoyed Chapter 1! I quite like how it turned out. xD


	3. The Stolen Mask

A/N: I HAVE RETURNED! Sorry, I had to rewatch the Code Geass series to get inspired again. xDD I have to make some minor changes cuz I don't wanna re-upload my word document to put it back in. Okay! Here's a guide:

Lelouch and Usagi are twins (haven't decided which of them is older yet, they basically just call each other the Japanese word for "older (insert gender specific brother/sister here)" and tease each other by calling each other the younger sibling.

Rolo and Nunnally are also twins (they always looked freakishly similar to me so there!) and Rolo is the younger of the two of them. Rolo's eyes are purple like Usagi and Lelouch, Nunnally's are blue.

Lelouch and Nunnally were taken from the Kururugi household when Lelouch and Usagi were ten. Usagi and Rolo were relocated to what used to be America when Usagi and Lelouch were fifteen.

And that's all I can think of at the moment… haha. ANYWAY! Here ya go! Chapter 2!

* * *

Sprawled out on the couch in the student council room, the dark-haired female sighed, blowing her bangs out of her face and looking at the room around her. Milly had been planning some kind of festival planned for a few weeks after the present date. Why that girl planned things so far in advance was beyond Usagi's comprehension, but either way she admired Milly's dedication.

Sitting up and rolling her eyes as she spotted Rivalz drooling over Milly yet again, getting up and wandering out of the room. Today was a slow day for both school and student council activities. She saw Suzaku earlier that day and he was feeling better, thankfully, and he reassured her that there was nothing to worry about and that he was fine. Still, either way she worried. Thankfully he didn't have anything broken, just a lot of bruises and a few cuts. If something had been broken Usagi most likely would have flipped shit and kicked someone's backside to get her revenge.

The girl smirked at the thought of her kicking someone's ass on her rampage and shook her head in amusement. Always fun to imagine, but when it came to actually doing it Usagi was more the kind to watch a fight unless someone had seriously pissed her off. Like the other day. Rare occurrence for Usagi to be that mad, especially if it was someone she cared for.

Yelling cut her off from the rest of her thoughts as she caught a multi-colored blur fly by her. She raised an eyebrow as Milly, Rivalz and Nina ran past her and towards where Nunnally and Rolo could usually be found on campus. The girl tilted her head and raced after the three of them, finally ending up at her home where the three of them were talking to Nunnally and Rolo outside on the porch.

"I think it was hurt because it walked funny… I haven't heard my brother so worried ever," Nunnally had been saying, Rolo watching his sister closely as Usagi arrived on the scene.

"What is it we're talking about now?" Usagi raised an eyebrow, panting to catch her breath as she joined the rest of the council members before her younger siblings.

"Nii-san is running after a cat," Rolo answered, leaning against Nunnally's wheelchair and peering up at his sister. He obviously knew what the cat had taken from Lelouch, but he couldn't very well tell his sister that the Zero mask was on the cat. That would reveal his identity to civilians and that could be very disastrous. "It's got _something he needs for later_."

Usagi tilted her head curiously as Rolo emphasized the last part to try and bring her attention to something else that was going on. As Milly ran around talking about how she'd find Lelouch's dirty little secret out. Rolo stood and walked to his older sister's side, whispering in her ear what the item was.

"HOW COULD HE BE SO STUPID?"

* * *

"Here kitty, kitty, kitty!" Usagi groaned, running down the hall after Rolo as he led the way. They had been chasing this stupid cat for over fifteen minutes and still NO ONE has caught it. Then Milly had to go and say that whoever caught the cat would get a kiss from someone in the student council. The gardening club and the equestrian club going after Kallen, the boys swim team after Shirley, various other clubs going after the other council members but now Rolo and Usagi had to run from all the rest of the clubs that had a thing for them.

"Tell. Lelouch. I hate him. Next time. You see him," Usagi panted, leaning against a wall as she tried to catch her breath. Rolo chuckled and skidded to a stop beside her, rolling his eyes as he leaned against her, causing his sister to groan.

"And why can't you tell him yourself?"

"Cuz next time _I_ see him, I'm gonna kill him."

"Oh. Well it looks like you don't have to, if he falls from there you'll get your wish…"

Usagi blinked and looked at where Rolo was pointing, the girl spotting Lelouch and Suzaku almost hanging off the edge of a roof where the bell tower was located.

"Oh for the love of-" she groaned, Rolo taking her wrist and tugging her along to join the rest of the student body as Lelouch and Suzaku soon got their footing and grabbed the cat.

The council gathered in front of the building, wondering who would emerge first as the rest of the student body joined them. Usagi crossed her arms over her chest as Rolo took his usual spot behind Nunnally's wheelchair, holding the handles to make sure she didn't roll away from him, and the three of them waited for their brother to emerge. Oh how she got annoyed with her twin.

"_How could he be so reckless? For the love of- he's lucky Nunnally can't see how stupid he's gotten! She'd have had a heart attack if she'd seen what just happened!"_ her thoughts demanded, the girl sighing as she realized she nearly had a heart attack herself. When the whispering started up again, Usagi looked up to find Suzaku emerge from the shadows of the entrance, cat in hand, and nobody was saying anything. She opened her mouth to say something when Shirley beat her to it.

"You saved him! Thank you so much Suzaku!" she exclaimed, appearing by the boy's side as Usagi shook her head in amusement. Oh Shirley; always having to be the welcoming committee. Rivalz appeared beside Shirley and added his own congratulations, Usagi tuning them all out to spot Lelouch appearing beside Suzaku moments later. He gave his siblings a look that showed he'd secured his mask and they didn't need to worry, turning back to the council members to be questioned of his friendship with Suzaku by Kallen.

"So, uh. Do you two know each other then?"

"Yeah but, he's an eleven!" Nina murmured, Usagi grinding her teeth in agitation at the girl. For some reason she never really liked Nina. It seemed she wasn't all right in the head if you know what that means. Nina turned to Usagi for confirmation on her twin's relationship with the other male and Usagi narrowed her eyes, walking away from Nina and to her brother's side, still giving Nina a look.

"No, I just-"

"He's my friend," Lelouch interrupted, about to go on when he was elbowed in the side by his twin. "_Our_ friend," he corrected, narrowing his eyes at Usagi, who smirked as a response. "Madame President, would you permit him as a member of the student council?"

Even Usagi had to raise an eyebrow at that. Lelouch gave her a quick smirk as he turned his attention back to Milly and the other council members. "The rules are clear, all students are required to join a club. Although…"

Everyone turned to Milly, who looked thoughtful for a moment, but then she smiled. "Well, you are the vice president, I suppose I can't refuse."

"Well then, since that's that I'd like you two to indulge me for a sec, lend me an ear" Nunnally announced as she rolled herself forward, causing Rolo to lose his balance and fall over once his sister wasn't supporting him. The boys looked confused, but leaned over to Nunnally's level. The girl gave them both a quick peck on the cheek, causing both of them to pull back and turn a deep shade of red. "There you go! The reward Miss Milly promised! Since you both got the cat, you'll just have to settle for me! An almost student council member!"

At that, everyone grinned and the council members (all but Nina, who stood there with that annoying petrified look on her face) rushed over to introduce themselves. Usagi chuckled as she watched them all and Lelouch draped an arm over her shoulder.

"You'd have missed me if I fell, admit it."

"Never"

"Not even a little bit?"

"Nope"

"And what if Suzaku fell with me?"

"… I'D MISS YOU NII-CHANNNNN!"

"That's what I thought…"

Usagi laughed and draped an arm around her twin's shoulders, still watching everyone get acquainted. "I still love you Nii-chan, but you get into trouble so often the shock has worn off" she teased, causing Lelouch to pout.

* * *

"All men…are NOT created equal! Some are born smarter, or more beautiful, or with parents of greater status. Some, by contrast, are born weak of body or mind, or with few, if any, talents. All men are different! Yes, the very existence of man is discriminatory! That's why there is war, violence and unrest. Inequality is not evil. Equality is! What became of the EU, who claimed that all are equal? It is in constant conflict because its tenets go against human nature! The Middle Eastern Federation, which harbors similar sentiments, is constantly mired with sloths! But our Britannia is not like them! We put an end to wars and evolve with every conquest! Britannia alone looks forward and moves forward to a better future! The death of my son Clovis is yet more proof that our empire is evolving. Fight! For the future rests in the hands of its ruler! _**ALL HAIL BRITANNIA!"**_

As the chanting on the screen continued after her father's words, Usagi squeezed her brother's hand, Lelouch's own tightening around hers on instinct. One day they would have their revenge. One day things would be different. Thing would be the way they once were, maybe even better than they used to be. And somehow they would make it happen; but little did the Lamperouge twins know, someone was waiting in the shadows to crush their dream. Someone they least expected; Someone in whom they had placed their trust.

* * *

A/N: Alright! I'm on a roll! Next chapter should be up soon (I hope). I'm going to start writing it now. I will warn you though, I'm only going to focus on the parts where they are in school since Usagi has found there to be no reason to be in the battles her brother is participating in. Once I get the ball moving I'll get more action in there.


	4. Secrets & Lies

A/N: Okie dokie! Chapter 3 here I come!

* * *

"_This is ridiculous! Suzaku I order you to fight!"_

_Euphemia's words rang out through the clearing. Usagi turned to see Suzaku slip out of Kallen's grasp and attempt to fight her, Lelouch (as Zero) letting go of Euphie and making a swipe at Suzaku. Usagi tried to yell at them, to tell them to stop fighting and to tell her what was going on, but no sound came out. Her eyes widened at her brother's words, watching Suzaku freeze in his tracks as Lelouch started to yell at Suzaku._

"_Why do you defend her? She's not the princess you wanted to be with so why choose to be her knight?" Lelouch fumed. Suzaku's green eyes widened in horror as Lelouch's words hit him like a ton of bricks. Usagi felt the tears well up in her eyes once again as she ran to her brother's side, grabbing his arm and begging him to stop. Lelouch's mask turned to face her, the material melting away as the scene faded, the boy glaring at his sister. "Why do you always defend him? Especially when he's done something to hurt you?"_

_Usagi sniffed at her brother's question, looking up at him as the image of Suzaku remained. Kallen, Euphemia and the rest of the scene faded, but Suzaku stood frozen in place, that look that closely resembled a puppy that had been kicked clear across the room still prominent on his handsome features. "Because, I love him…"_

"_You're hopeless" Lelouch sighed, his image fading along with Suzaku's as Usagi was now alone, in the dark. She sighed, rubbing her temples and wrapping her arms around herself. She really hoped that this wouldn't happen… Maybe her Geass was wrong. If she was lucky._

* * *

Usagi awoke with a start. The girl rubbing her forehead and sighing as she felt the sun hit her eyes. She groaned as she threw herself back under the covers to hide from the sun. She'd missed school. Again. But did she care? Nope. Not even a little bit. The doors to her room opening as someone ran in.

"Go away Rolo, I'm not in the mood."

"It's not Rolo."

Usagi shot up at her brother's words and narrowed her eyes at him. Something was wrong. Lelouch looked flustered and upset. "What's wrong?"

"Mao took Nunnally."

Usagi's eyes widened in horror as she threw the covers off, grabbing a robe and pulling it on over her pajamas "I'll look around the school more, you go look around the grounds."

"But I already looked through the school!"

"Lelouch, even you know that sometimes you overlook things that are right in front of your face. That's why I'm here, I double check for you."

"Good point… I have my cell if you need me," he answered, turning to run back out of the room when Usagi grabbed his arm, Lelouch turning to face his twin.

"If Nunnally's been kidnapped, then where is Rolo?" she asked, her hand shaking.

Lelouch sighed, holding his sister's hand in his to calm her. "He's fine, he's with Sayoko."

Usagi breathed out in relief, patting her brother's hand and allowing him to run ahead of her. She blew her hangs out of her face, pulling her robe closer to her and running out of the room towards the school.

* * *

Screaming. Constant screaming. A scream of agony and fear, of something dear to you being lost. No. It couldn't have. Mao couldn't have hurt Nunnally, could he? Usagi ran towards the chapel, following her brother's scream and the laughter that followed. Her eyes widened as she saw the broken window of the chapel, raising an eyebrow as she looked in through the broken glass.

"You think you've beat me, huh?" Mao demanded, sounding hysterical. Suzaku grabbed his arm and told him to stop it, none of the teenagers expecting the next thing that came out of Mao's mouth.

"Get your hands off of me, father-killer!"

Usagi's hands flew to her mouth as she watched Suzaku freeze, starting to sputter in shock.

"You killed your father seven years ago. Heh. He called for do-or-die resistance, and you thought stopping him would end the war. What a childish idea. The fact is, _you're a murderer!"_

"That's not true! I just- I—"

"How lucky for you that no one ever found out. All the adults lied to protect you."

"But all the reports said his suicide was a protest against the military actions," Lelouch murmured, just as shocked as Suzaku was.

"A big, fat lie, all of it!" Mao screeched.

Usagi held her head as the pain started to get unbearable. She was there that day. She saw everything. It was after Lelouch and Nunnally had been relocated, Usagi and Rolo were still staying at the Kururugi household.

"You want to save people's lives? It's your own wretched soul you're trying to save! That's why you're always charging into danger, placing yourself on the edge of death!"

Usagi snapped out of her thoughts as Suzaku fell to the floor, wailing in anguish as Mao stood over him, a crazy look in his eye.

"You're no hero! You're just trying to wash the blood off your hands! A little brat begging to be punished!"

"**MAO**!" Usagi screeched, crashing through the window and grabbing the man by the neck, standing between him and Suzaku as Mao gasped for air, smirking at her.

"And you're no better than this brat!" he choked out, causing Usagi to growl and squeeze harder. "You allowed this to happen! And afterwards you _comforted_ him? What kind of person condones a child murdering his own father?"

"**MAO! NEVER SPEAK AGAIN!" **Lelouch roared, his Geass activating and Usagi dropped the man to the floor once the command was processed by Mao and he started choking. The man ran towards the door as C2 appeared and she killed him once he got outside.

Usagi stood there, her back to her brother and a now crying Suzaku.

"I just… I just…" Suzaku choked; his body shaking as he stared at the ground. Usagi turned to face him at his words and kneeled down to his level. The girl took his face in her hands and stroked his cheeks, drying the tears that had fallen from his eyes.

"I know, Suzaku. I know…" she murmured, leaning her forehead against his as she felt his hands wrap around hers. She continued to wipe away the new tears that she felt fall from his eyes and allowed him to cry for a few moments. "I was there, I know…"

Suzaku shivered as he felt the memories of that night come back to him. He gave her hands a squeeze and watched her closely "Tell me…"

She sighed, moving a strand of hair from his eyes and looking back at him "Lelouch had left already, Nunnally too. Rolo was in bed and I left to go visit you like I usually did…Your window was open and I went in like I did every night, and you weren't there… I assumed you would be right back and I sat on your bed to wait…"

* * *

_Usagi sat on the bed, quickly getting bored as a ten-year-old usually did when left to sit alone for a few minutes and she left the room, tip-toeing down the hall. She assumed Mr. Kururugi was asleep or working, which he usually was when she visited Suzaku, but he wasn't in his office or his bedroom when she walked by. She raised an eyebrow and was about to go back to Suzaku's room when she heard Suzaku cry out from downstairs, as if someone had struck him._

_The girl padded down the stairs just in time to see Suzaku fall to the ground, clutching his cheek and staring up at his father with those big green eyes. _

"_You don't understand anything Suzaku! I run this country the way _I_ want to! If I want to rebel then I'll do as I see fit!"Genbu Kuurugi roared, standing over his son. _

_Usagi gasped from her spot behind the door and watched as Suzaku finally snapped and killed his father. Once the boy had done the deed, she ran upstairs, out the window and around the front of the house. She knew the boy's father screaming would cause his advisors to appear, and she was right. She let herself in through the front door and found her way back to the room where Suzaku was and hugged him tight, stroking his hair as Suzaku buried his face in her shoulder and the adults conversed on how they would handle this._

* * *

Usagi held Suzaku close as she relayed the story to him. It was mostly directed toward her twin, who was staring at her with a horrified expression. She glared at the boy as Suzaku clung to her, his face buried in her shoulder as he felt his suppressed memories of the incident come back to him. Usagi sighed, pulling Suzaku close as she stroked his hair, whispering to him about how it would be alright.

"It's _not_ going to be alright! Don't you understand? I killed my father! I'm a horrible person! I-!"

Lips connecting with Suzaku's own immediately shut him up as he blinked, but kissed her back. The girl pulled back and poked his forehead, a completely serious expression upon her pretty face. "Don't you ever say that again. You're not a murderer, you were a child put into a difficult spot and you defended your country. Understand?"

Suzaku stared at her, dumbfounded, as she stood up and held a hand out to him.

"Let's go, Green Eyes," she commented, giving him a slight smirk to try and lighten the mood. Suzaku smiled, taking her hand and allowing her to pull him up. Usagi smiled lightly, taking Suzaku's hand and leading him to Lelouch, whose hand she took in her free one, and walked out of the chapel. Hopefully the images she'd seen in her vision that her Geass had formed wouldn't happen. She couldn't bear to see her twin and Suzaku fight, especially when it involved her.

* * *

A/N: Whooooooo! Yay! Now time for some action/drama!


	5. What I Should Have Said

A/N: So I got a review from XDarkRider saying this: I just think that you are moving a bit too fast. (but thats just my opinion) maybe you could delve deeper into the relationship that each characters have. Not just between Usagi and Suzaku, but other characters as well. Like Rolo and Nunnally,

(that was just an excerpt, mind you) and I thought about it and I was like, OH MY GOSH! I HAVE NEGLECTED NUNNALLY AND ROLO! I'm such a horrible person. T.T

Okay, so I was trying to think of how to make my chapters longer anyway, so since my lovely reviewer brought up I need to delve deeper into everyone's relationships with each other, I shall do so!

Oh, and just a note for everybody, I'm going to try and update daily if not every two days since my semester is winding down and my month and a half break is coming up. When I'm not studying the creative juices are flowing and I've gotta write it down or I'll lose good plot points. Haha. So yay for you, craziness for me.

So here you go! Another chapter (with me attempting to delve deeper) but this time with short scenes that I think describe at least PART of everybody's relationship with each other.

* * *

_(After the series of events that Mao created last time)_

"Nunnally!" Rolo cried, running into the living room, causing his sister to jump in surprise. The blind girl turned to her younger twin and raised an eyebrow.

"Rolo? What's wrong?" she asked, tilting her head curiously. Hopefully nothing had happened to Usagi, Lelouch or Suzaku when they went to go cool off after the craziness of today. The girl's eyebrows raised when she was suddenly tackled in a hug by the boy, wrapping her arms around Rolo to hug him back.

"You could've been hurt," he answered quietly, still in his awkward standing embrace since his twin was sitting. The boy pulled back slightly and looked at Nunnally, feeling his eyes sting but refusing to let anything fall. He took her hand in his and sat in the chair that had been across from Nunnally when he entered, giving it a squeeze as he hung his head. "I should've been here… Maybe if I was that psycho wouldn't have gotten to you that easily. I'm so stupid!"

"Rolo it wasn't your fault," Nunnally interjected, placing her free hand on her twin's and giving it a squeeze back. "Now you're starting to sound like Nii-san and Onee-chan."

"But I had the choice to go or stay with you! And I left… I'm so selfish." He muttered, hanging his head once again.

Nunnally's expression softened at his words. The both of them knew that Rolo was jealous of the relationship Lelouch and Usagi had. They could see each other and go out and do things all they wanted, but Nunnally and Rolo were stuck being limited because of her condition. Nunnally knew that Rolo beat himself up about it all the time and that he wished she could at least see him, but she couldn't.

"It's okay Rolo, you have every right not to be around when you don't want to," she answered softly, smiling a little bit for him. Nunnally never blamed him for the way he was feeling, she felt just as jealous of her siblings as Rolo did, but she didn't want to be pitied by her twin because of her condition.

Rolo's head snapped up at her words, his hands wrapping around both of hers and giving her a squeeze. Rolo never meant to come off as pitying his sister, he loved his twin more than life itself, it was just hard that all they could do together these days was just sit around and talk. He looked up at her and bit his lip, sighing. "You're too nice, especially to me."

"Why wouldn't I be nice to you? You're my brother after all,"

"I'm a bad brother"

"No you're not! Don't ever say that!"

Rolo's violet eyes widened as Nunnally snapped at him. Her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance as she took her hands out of his grip and placed one on his cheek. The boy's hand instinctively flew to touch the hand invading his personal space, waiting for her to continue. By now, Rolo knew that when Nunnally snapped at you then she had more to say afterward.

"You were always there after mother died. Yes, Lelouch and Usagi were there as well, but who stayed with me while they went to go get medicine when I was sick? Who played with me most of the time when I _could_ walk and see? Whose face is it I imagine when I wonder what the both of us look like now? That would be you, Rolo. You've been a great brother, don't ever doubt that."

Rolo felt his eyes sting again, closing them and hanging his head again, Nunnally's hand still under his own on his cheek. He gave her hand a squeeze and sighed, his free hand gripping his knee. How could she care about him so much? Especially because of everything with Zero he'd been doing. Of course, Nunnally didn't know that Lelouch was Zero, but she knew that Rolo went out and did terrible things when called upon, and yet she always brushed it off and went on with their conversation as if nothing was wrong.

"Don't cry, Rolo…"

Nunnally's words snapped him out of his thoughts, he blinked and looked at her as he felt her thumb wiping at his cheek, he raised an eyebrow and touching his face he felt it was wet. He sighed, all those years with Usagi building up their walls wasted because of his twin. Alright then, from then on the only person he would ever cry in front of-if ever again-will be Nunnally. At least she can't see him cry.

"I'm sorry, Onee-chan…"

"Nothing to be sorry for, Otuoto-chan."

* * *

_(With Lelouch and Usagi)_

"Why didn't you tell me this?" Lelouch demanded, the two of them having just dropped Suzaku off and finally came home. Usagi chose to ignore his question, passing by the living room and noting Rolo and Nunnally having a quiet conversation, but choosing not to bother them. The girl made her way down the hall and to her room, opening the door and closing it behind her, knowing that wouldn't be an obstacle for her twin as Lelouch entered her bedroom seconds later.

"Don't you ever knock?"

"You didn't answer my question!"

Usagi sighed, plopping herself onto the windowsill and looking out to the courtyard. The twins knew by now that when Lelouch was yelling at her, Usagi closed herself off more. Even though they had only recently been reunited, they had learned a lot about each other. Lelouch sighed, taking a seat across from her on the windowsill and watched his twin closely. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have freaked out-"

"No, you shouldn't have."

"_Anyway_, why didn't you tell me that you were there when that happened?" he asked, his tone a lot calmer this time. He was met with his sister's violet eyes narrowing at him, the girl turning to face him with her arms crossed over her chest.

"And what would you have done with this information if I had told you? Torture Suzaku with it? No thank you, I'd prefer keeping you in the dark about things that involve Suzaku."

Lelouch's eyes widened slightly, his sister didn't trust him anymore. She was choosing Suzaku over him. The boy glared back at her and crossed his arms much like she was. "And so what if I did? He's my enemy, and since he is my enemy he should be-"

"As _Zero_ he is your enemy, but as Lelouch he is your best friend," Usagi snapped, causing Lelouch to stare at her yet again. "Does your friendship with him mean _anything_ to you?"

Lelouch raised an eyebrow at his sister, turning to look out the window as Usagi sighed, getting up and walking across the room from him, muttering something about knowing it. He watched his twin out of his peripheral vision as she went to her desk and sat at it, watching her trail her fingers over photos of the past.

"He's my best friend, Lelouch. Not just that, he means a lot more to me than you can ever know, and I'm not going to betray his trust just so you can torture him on the battlefield," she answered quietly, looking down and not facing her twin. "I know that may seem like I'm choosing him over you, but have I once told him any of the things you have done so he can have the advantage over you on the battlefield? Never. I know where my loyalties lie Lelouch, and I will not betray the trust you have in me nor will I betray Suzaku because you want to bring him to your side-"

"_**MY **_side? Are you serious? It's your side too Usagi! Yours, mine, Rolo's, _Nunnally's_? Why do you think we're doing this? For YOU!" Lelouch roared, standing from his place at the windowsill and walking over to his twin.

"No need to be so touchy," Usagi answered quietly, looking up at Lelouch and watching him closely. "I know why you fight, and I know why you're so angry, and even though your reasons are justifiable and Suzaku's seem flawed; both of you have good points. Why can't you two just work together to fix this?"

Lelouch stopped in his tracks. Usagi hadn't meant anything bad when she said those things. He realized that now. She was like Nunnally in the way that she wanted things to go back to the way they were. He sighed, rubbing his temples and pulled up a chair in front of his sister, looking her in the eye and taking her hand. "It's not that simple… Suzaku doesn't want to join Zero. He feels what I'm doing is wrong."

"And yet you'd sooner kill him than try to change his opinion?" Usagi whispered, causing Lelouch to stare at her incredulously. The girl looked up at her twin and smiled lightly, "Lemme guess, in 'trying to change his opinion' you came off as a creepy stalker, didn't you?"

"Nooooo….."

"Lelouch."

"Okay, yeah I did… I didn't mean to though!"

"Doesn't matter, you know that Suzaku gets creeped out easily"

"Good point…"

Usagi chuckled, patting her brother's hand and ruffling his hair lightly. "Try finding out where he stands on all this and try to incorporate his ideals with your own. Maybe that will help?"

"But I already know where he-"

"Oh really? Well do you know that the military is still _very_ prejudiced against the Japanese? I heard them all talking about Suzaku when I saw a few of them out on the streets awhile back."

Lelouch raised an eyebrow, smirking at her when she gave him this tidbit of information. "And what do you want me to do with this?"

Usagi smirked back, rolling her eyes at her brother and giving him a look. "Fix it, and get him out of there."

The boy smirked, looking back into the eyes that mirrored his own and nodded, holding out his hand with his pinky extended "Pinky promise?" he offered.

"Pinky promise" she answered, her tone still deadly serious. If anyone could get Suzaku out of that situation, it would be Lelouch. Although, when they were kids it seemed that Suzaku listened to her more than he listened to Lelouch. Well, if Lelouch failed then Usagi would step in.

* * *

_(A week later)_

After the rescue mission Zero had planned to grab Tohdoh's leader revealed the Lancelot's pilot, Lelouch had come home to reveal what he had learned to his twin. At first, Usagi didn't believe him, but then she noticed that Suzaku hadn't been to school in the past couple days and started to put the pieces together. The student council had been abuzz over someone finding out Usagi and Suzaku had kissed, the girls teasing Usagi that she should go out with Suzaku and Rivalz teasing Lelouch that he should keep an eye on Suzaku since it was his twin he had kissed. How they all found out was a mystery to Usagi, but she found it amusing, and she thanked heaven that Suzaku hadn't been around to endure the teasing.

It wasn't until the day Euphemia announced that Suzaku was to be her knight that Usagi felt her heart turn cold. Suzaku came back to school the day after and tried to explain what had happened to Usagi, but she wouldn't hear of it.

* * *

"_Usagi, please! Let me explain!"Suzaku cried, touching her arm as she walked away from him; the girl whirling on her heel and wrenching herself from his grip._

"_There's nothing to explain! I was stupid enough to think that you still cared for me like you used to, and you don't! You have _Euphemia_ now, why do you care what happens to me?"_

"_I care because I've always cared!"_

"_You have a hell of a way of showing it!"_

"_Can't you just let me talk?"_

"_NO! I'm tired of being led to believe something and I'm tired of my world crashing down around me when that thing I've been led to believe isn't true!" she cried, feeling her eyes sting and turning away from him. At his silence, she ran down the hall and made a beeline for the student council room—she needed Lelouch, and she needed him now._

_

* * *

_

She had spent the rest of the afternoon in her brother's embrace, crying until she couldn't cry any longer. It had been seven years since she'd had a good cry, and now everything was falling apart. She refused to watch the knighting ceremony on the tv. She was too hurt. A half an hour after the broadcast she appeared in the council room, Lelouch by her side, and was greeted by a sympathetic Milly, an apologetic Shirley, and a fuming Rivalz. As Usagi clung to Shirley, she noticed Nina freaking out about the knighthood still, which annoyed her to no end, but she said nothing.

"Why would he do that anyway? Does he know how this effects her?" Shirley demanded, Lelouch sighing and shrugging in response.

"He only did it because someone he used to know that he cared for is on the list of the dead from Brittania's invasion of Japan," Milly answered, the expression on her face was serious, scary serious. "So since then, he's serving in her honor."

"Are you serious? Oh my god that's awful!" Shirley cried, her attitude doing a 180 as Usagi turned to Milly, her eyebrow raised curiously. Even Lelouch looked confused, so it wasn't just her that didn't know what she was talking about.

But wait. Lelouch and Usagi used to be royalty until their mother died, Suzaku knew that. But what was he talking about when he said the person was on the list of the dead?

Usagi's eyes widened as she remembered that their father considered them to be dead, so he added their names to the list of deceased and used them as bargaining chips when they were children. She turned to the screen and watched as the news recapped the ceremony with their own commentary, narrowing her eyes at Euphemia as she passed by the screen. There was more to this than what was being shown, something more was going on. How did she know? Because Euphemia had a stupid grin on her face, one of those I-Got-Away-With-It grins that Usagi knew all too well from when they were children.

"Well, we're only halfway through the school day, how about we all go back to class? Are you going to be okay Usagi?" Milly asked, touching the girl's shoulder as Usagi clenched her fists, still glaring at Euphemia's image.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She muttered through her teeth, her eyes narrowed dangerously. The news team cut to live coverage of Suzaku leaving to come back to school and she couldn't hear him since his superiors were trying to get him out of there with no comment, but she noticed how his expression seemed to be searching the camera for something. As if he was trying to look at someone through the camera. She blinked when they finally got Suzaku away from the reporters and some other people came on the screen. Pulling herself from Milly's supportive grip, Usagi bolted out of the room and down the stairs to the courtyard where she plopped herself down onto a bench, looking out to the distance.

Everything from today was making her brain hurt, her mind was swimming. She sighed as she placed her head in her hands and leaned over to put her elbows on her knees for support. At times, she hated how hectic her life was, how annoying it could be and how stressed out she got, but never once did she want to trade it for another life. Everything happened for a reason, and hopefully no one else she loved would have to die.

"Usagi?"

She blinked, rubbing her eyes and looking up at the voice as she spotted Suzaku approaching her bench, a concerned look upon his face. She sighed, rubbing her eyes again and watching him as he walked to her and kneeled down to her level.

"You hate me, don't you?"

She sighed, shaking her head and leaned her head against her fist, still propped on her knees as she stared at him with a blank expression. "Milly told me what you said…"

Suzaku blinked in surprise, but he soon looked down and sighed. "She did?"

"Yeah"

"And are you still mad at me?"

"Not as much as I was"

Suzaku looked back up at her with those green eyes and watched her facial expression go from blank to suspicious. "What?"

"Why did Euphemia have that shit-eating grin on her face?"

The boy's eyes widened as he sighed, shaking his head. "I can't tell you…" he murmured as he stood, hanging his head.

Usagi shot up off the bench and glared at the boy, crossing her arms over her chest. "And why not? I swear, Suzaku. You're worse than Lelouch with the annoying secret keeping-"

"I can't tell you! I don't want to lose you if I do!" he cried, grabbing her shoulders and looking at her with the same pained expression she'd seen only once in the time she'd known him. Something was definitely wrong, she could sense it.

"Alright, alright… Calm down" she murmured, wrapping her arms around his waist and giving him a tug. Suzaku sighed in relief, wrapping his arms around her neck and holding her tight. Usagi blinked, but pulled him closer all the same. Something had Suzaku spooked, and she knew it had something to do with Euphemia.

* * *

_(Meanwhile, in the student council room)_

When Usagi pulled herself out of Milly's grip, the blonde girl and Shirley lunged to follow her, only to be cut off by Lelouch. "Let her go, I think she needs to figure this out herself."

"Aww, you're no fun Lulu" Shirley pouted as Milly shrugged, wandering to the window to watch the interaction between Usagi and Suzaku that happened moments later.

"Ah, there they are"

"Who!"

"Look, down there"

"What're you- Aww! They made up!"

Lelouch rolled his eyes as he joined the two girls at the window and Rivalz went off to class. The remaining male turned his gaze from his sister to Nina, who was watching the couple down below with a horrified expression.

"But, he's an eleven! How could she-?" Nina muttered, staring down at Usagi and Suzaku as they held each other, Lelouch's eyes narrowing slightly at the girl with the glasses.

"I don't really think it's any of your business who Usagi chooses to care for,"

Lelouch jumped as Rolo seemed to appear beside him, the younger boy narrowing his eyes at the girl as Nina glared back at Rolo, saying nothing. That kid needed to learn not to use his Geass to sneak up on people like that.

"Rolo, don't you think you're being a little overprotective?" Lelouch smiled, trying to lighten the mood. He knew that Rolo knew their sister better than anyone just as Nunnally almost knew Lelouch that well, and therefore the younger boy was constantly defending Usagi's honor.

"No." The boy answered, still glaring at Nina as the girl sniffed and left the room.

Milly and Shirley completely missed the incident, as usual, since they were gushing over the two down below. Lelouch sighed, slinking an arm over Rolo's shoulders and pulling him close to whisper in his ear "What's the problem?"

Rolo narrowed his eyes at the door where Nina had exited and turned into his brother to make their conversation more private. "I have a bad feeling about her."

"Like what?"

"Like she's going to do something drastic just because Suzaku's an eleven."

"Oh come on, Nina's relatively harmless"

"Yeah, to _us_ cuz we're Britannians. Suzaku is Japanese, therefore the type of person that Nina loathes."

"You don't really think that-"

"I don't think, I know."

Lelouch's violet eyes narrowed at the door now, gripping Rolo's shoulder tight as he processed what Rolo was saying, leaning back to his brother again. "Don't tell Usagi or Suzaku. No reason to worry them if we're wrong. We can look into this later."

Rolo nodded as Lelouch led him out of the room, leaving the girls to gawk at Usagi and Suzaku more.


	6. Bloodstained Euphemia

A/N: ALRIGHT! Finally trying to get back into this after a long time of not updating! Procrastination ftw! Why am I writing this now? Because I'm procrastinating from my schoolwork. Yup. Epic. Anyhow! I don't remember where I was originally going with this story, but I hope you all enjoy the idea that I've come up with instead. :3

* * *

The next few months were rather annoying and emotionally draining with everything going on. After the attempted capture of Suzaku by the Black Knights, Usagi learned from Lelouch that Euphemia has learned his identity. Why her brother chose to reveal himself to that evil creature of all people was beyond Usagi, but the boy waved it off and insisted that Euphemia would keep their secret.

"You seriously think that she'll keep something like that under wraps? You know how she feels about me. By protecting you she's doing the same for me and yet you think she's trustworthy with that sort of secret? Are you on crack?" Usagi growled, following after her brother through the house as he started getting ready for the festival that Milly had been planning for all this time.

"Usagi, calm _down._"

"Don't tell me what to do, baka! You're going to get us all killed!" she groaned, tugging at her hair and leaning against Lelouch as he finally stopped moving.

Laughing at his sister, the boy pat her head and smiled as he gave her a wink. "If you go bald I have a feeling that may put Suzaku out a bit," he teased, causing Usagi to scowl and smack him upside the head in response. "Ow. Anyway, if Euphemia keeps us safe then maybe she's trying to reconcile with you. Did that ever cross your mind?"

"Nope. Not when she's a crazy bitch who took my knight," Usagi answered simply, waving it off as Lelouch sighed, shaking his head.

"She's really not that bad, you know."

"To _you,_ maybe. She likes you."

"You know, you sound like a bitter chess player when you say that. He's not a piece in a game."

"Can't you let me be five for once?!"

"We're seventeen years old, Usagi."

"Oh shut up."

* * *

The rest of the day was rather hectic, from what she could remember. The dark-haired girl sighed as she wandered into the house to go get Nunnally, only to be greeted with her younger sister sitting at the table having tea with Euphemia-of all people. Usagi tensed at the sight of the other female, crossing her arms over her chest as her violet eyes narrowed dangerously. "You. What're you doing here?"

Euphemia looked up from her cup, genuinely surprised to see her half-sister before her and putting on a smile as she stood and wandered to Usagi's side. The dark-haired girl pulled away as Euphemia attempted to hug her, standing beside Nunnally's wheelchair as her grip on herself tightened. "You didn't answer my question."

"I ended up running into her when I was at the festival with Rolo," Nunnally explained, reaching up and touching her sister's arm as she frowned. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you…"

"No, it's fine. I'm just surprised, I guess," Usagi answered gently, her expression softening as she uncrossed her arms and touched her sister's hand, looking from Nunnally to Euphemia once again.

"Euphie and I were just remembering the time we fought over Lelouch when we were kids. Do you remember that? And then Lelouch ended up choosing mother because he couldn't choose between us? Then he hid behind you for the rest of the day?" Nunnally smiled, giving Usagi's hand a squeeze. Usagi felt a bitter smile cross her features, her gaze still fixated upon Euphemia before her as she felt her blood boil.

"Yes, sweetheart, I remember that. It was a long time ago, wasn't it?" she asked, mostly directing that question at Euphemia as the other princess nodded.

"It certainly has been a long time, Usagi. I've missed you," the girl answered, smiling at her half-sister as Usagi tensed once again. She didn't like this. Not one bit.

"We were about to go get Lelouch, would you like to join us?" Nunnally offered, squeezing Usagi's hand once again to get her sister's attention. Usagi smiled, nodding slightly as she squeezed back.

"That sounds like a marvelous idea."

* * *

"I want you to know that I didn't do it to spite you. About Suzaku, I mean,"

Usagi blinked, staring at Euphemia as she felt her sister look at her from behind her sunglasses. What in the hell was she talking about? How did she even know about what was going through Usagi's mind?

"I was told how my decision upset you, and I wanted you to know that I did it for you," Euphemia answered, watching her sister closely as Usagi narrowed her eyes, causing Rolo to stiffen from behind Nunnally's wheelchair and Lelouch to raise an eyebrow. "I knew you two were friends, and since you were in no position to make him your knight, I wanted to make sure that nobody else could. Maybe one day I can convince father to bring you all back. That was my intention, anyway. And then I would relinquish him to you once you were back."

Usagi looked from Euphemia to Lelouch, more than a little confused and slightly uncomfortable as she watched the pink-haired girl closely. Now this was getting weird. Was Euphemia seriously trying to help her? Why the hell would she do that?

"Euphie, it's impossible. You know that the emperor isn't going to bring anything back, or anyone," Lelouch commented, trying to ease the tension the girl had created as Euphemia looked into the distance with a sad smile.

"I just don't want to see anyone unhappy ever again."

Yup. That was a riot. Usagi rolled her eyes, standing from her spot and smoothing out her skirt before she started down the stairs, only to feel her wrist caught in Euphemia's grip. "I mean it, Usagi. I can't bear to see you or anyone I care about unhappy… Please, accept my apology. I didn't mean for you to be upset with me, and for that I am sorry."

The raven-haired girl rolled her eyes, pulling herself from Euhemia's grip and jogging down the stairs away from her siblings. She stopped only for a moment as she felt footsteps follow after her, knowing it wasn't Euphemia by the way they sounded, only to feel Rolo wrap his arms around her from the side and give her a squeeze. Usagi sighed , kissing her brother's temple and wrapping an arm around his waist as they started off towards the booths, not really in the mood to watch Suzaku toss the pizza dough with the knightmare.

"I've offended her, haven't I?" Euphemia sighed, looking to Lelouch for an explanation.

"Only a little, but she'll get over it," Lelouch nodded, watching his brother and sister move from booth to booth, only a little jealous that his younger brother understood his twin a lot more than he could ever know.

"I still think she's up to something," Rolo offered after a few minutes of silence and Usagi just gave him a look.

"No shit, Sherlock."

"No need to get snippy with me! I'm agreeing with you!"

Usagi sighed, rubbing her temples and leaning against Rolo as she popped a dumpling into her mouth. "I know, I'm sorry. Bad day, you know?"

"Yeah… I know."

Unfortunately neither of the two had an opportunity to say more because the next thing they knew, people were crowding around the spot on the steps where they had been moments earlier. "Oh for the love of-" Usagi growled, facepalming at the sight of everyone crowding around Euphemia, but soon a bit of panic rose in her chest as she started scanning the crowd for Lelouch and Nunnally. It wasn't long before Rolo pulled her along by the elbow and led Usagi to where their siblings were hiding, the girl thanking the heavens that nothing happened to them. Crouching beside Lelouch as Rolo checked over Nunnally for any sign of injury, Usagi peeked over the table of the stand and frowned as she saw the sub-viceroy in the hand of Suzaku's borrowed knightmare frame. Welp. She couldn't blame him for doing his job, could she?

"Hey Lelouch, guess what?"

Usagi raised an eyebrow as she looked at her sister, who smiled in Lelouch's general direction as she continued. "Euphie says that she and Suzaku are becoming very close now."

Lelouch's eyes widened as Usagi stared at her sister, knowing that Nunnally hadn't heard the part of Usagi and Euphemia's conversation on the steps about Suzaku being Euphie's knight, but even then Nunnally was too naïve to realize how this affected her older sister. "They make a nice couple, don't you agree?"

Rolo stiffened at Nunnally's words, watching Usagi stare at her sister in disbelief. What gave Nunnally the idea that Euphemia and Suzaku were anything more than friends, or whatever they were? Unless… Usagi narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared at Euphemia, wondering what she was planning. She was too busy being pissed and not really registering what was going on until Euphemia declared that Zero should join her in creating the "Specially Administrated Zone of Japan." Usagi felt a growl form deep in her throat, sensing her twin doing the same as the two of them glared up at her. Hearing the comments about Euphie obviously doing this because she was in love with an eleven, Usagi's geass flashed angrily before disappearing once again as she looked from Lelouch to Rolo, who looked just as furious. She had played them. Euphemia had played them all. She wasn't just after Suzaku, she was going after everything that the Lamperouge family had been waiting for years to do. She was sabotaging the whole rebellion.

The pink haired girl caught the look on her brother's face and let a small smirk form, soon turning into a smile that was press-worthy as she looked over to Suzaku. The brown-haired boy didn't know what to say, staring at the princess with his wide green eyes as she chuckled and turned back to the camera. _Let the games begin._

* * *

"You can't seriously believe her, can you?!"

"Of course I can! She's my princess; she wouldn't lie about this kind of thing!"

"Oh for the love of god Suzaku, you're really starting to piss me off with that whole 'my princess' thing," Usagi growled, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared at him, causing the boy to give her an equally angry look on his face.

"Maybe you're wrong about her, ever thought about that? She's really not that bad, Usagi."

"Are you KIDDING me?!" she demanded, causing Suzaku to wince at the shrill tone of her voice. "Euphemia is a crazy woman who doesn't care about anyone but herself!"

"That's not true!" Suzaku snapped, narrowing his eyes at her as Usagi blinked in surprise. Something was off about him. She just knew it. Something wasn't quite right with how he's turned on her and she was determined to find out what was going on.

"Why are you suddenly on her side? What happened to doing this because you had to?" she asked quietly, looking him in the eye. Suzaku looked instantly guilty, staring at the floor as his fists clenched. There it was. The tell-tale sign. "You've been sleeping with her, haven't you?"

Suzaku's head shot up, a look of disbelief on his features as Usagi felt her expression harden. "I knew it."

"No! Usagi it's not what you think!"

"Really now?! I think it's exactly what I think and you've just been screwing around with her behind my back and just trailing me along for the ride! One princess isn't enough for you, is it, Suzaku?!"

The boy recoiled at her words, his green eyes shining with pain as he stared at her, looking like a puppy that had been kicked by its master for no good reason. The girl whirled on her heel, her hair flying behind her in the process, and she started making her way down the hall once again. "We're done, Suzaku. Have fun with your whore."

She made it most of the way through the school, not hearing him come after her, and soon she found herself at the courtyard once again. Collapsing onto a bench nearby, Usagi buried her face in her hands and sighed, rubbing her temples as her geass started showing her what could have happened between her sister and Suzaku, only to have Usagi push the visions away. She wasn't in the mood to see those sorts of things.

She didn't know how long she'd been sitting there, nor did she feel like checking a clock, but eventually she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to find Suzaku's superior from the engineering core smiling down at her. "Hello Usagi. May I borrow you for a moment?"

* * *

"Lloyd! I found her!"

"Marvelous! Now come over here!"

Usagi followed Cécile to where the strange man was flitting around a giant thing covered by a black tarp, and raised an eyebrow as Lloyd turned to face them, grinning like an idiot as he walked over and shook her hand "Lloyd Asplund, at your service milady."

"Nice to meet you?" she blinked, watching him closely and looking from the crazy man to the giant covered thing before them. "Can you tell me why I'm here?"

"Of course I can, Usagi! I'm not an idiot!" Lloyd grinned, letting go of her hand and stepping back towards the thing, gesturing for her and Cécile to follow him. "I've been told you're good friends with Suzaku, are you not?"

"Well… Yeah, but we kinda had a falling out…"

"I'm sure you two lovebirds will make up. He, like most men, is not very bright when it comes to women and their feelings, but he cares about you too much for a fight to keep you apart," Lloyd answered with a shrug, causing Cécile to stare at him in disbelief. Since when did he get so mature? "Now then! Usagi despite the fact that you and Suzaku are in a bit of a rough patch, would you say that you would still fight for him?"

"What the hell are you talking about? I have no way of fighting anyone at all let alone-"

"Just answer my question!"

Usagi sputtered for a moment, waiting for her thoughts to stop conflicting and start making sense as she took a deep breath. Suzaku had been her best friend for years, and she'd loved him for that entire time. It hurt that Euphemia was taking him away from her, but the girl knew that if she didn't fight for him, who would? Looking back up at Lloyd, the girl felt her eyes narrow dangerously as she gave him her answer. "To the death, I would."

"Good to hear."

* * *

"_Kill the elevens! All troops, exterminate all the elevens!"_

"_Don't let any escape! Kill them all!"_

_Screaming. Bloodshed. The bodies of countless Japanese people falling to the ground with a sickening thud. Babies crying from being recently orphaned, the screams of Suzaku on the intercom. The world was falling apart. At least, that small corner of the world was. Something was terribly wrong. That zone of Japan Euphemia talked about. Something was wrong, terribly, terribly wrong._

Usagi kept her eyes closed for the entire flight. Lloyd and Cécile had cut her training short when the news broadcasted the massacre. Her Geass was acting up, and it was getting on her nerves, but she could see everything that was going on. Everything.

"_You really think it'd take just you telling me to shoot you? Oh Lelouch, you have a lot to learn about me,"_ _Lelouch raised an eyebrow at Euphemia, watching her closely as she took the gun from his hand and toyed with it. "You'd be surprised at my powers of persuasion, Euphie."_

"_Oh?" she smiled, her grin widening as he narrowed his eyes and attempted to get the gun back from her. He didn't like that look on her face. Not one bit. Maybe Usagi was right about her having an ulterior motive._

"_Why don't you show me your true self?" Lelouch asked, staring at Euphie and watching her face contort in that familiar way everyone else's expression did as they processed a command from his Geass. Euphemia's sweet smile turned dark as she smirked at him, quirking an eyebrow in amusement. _ "_You really want to know what I've been planning? Fine. I was planning on killing you, and Suzaku too. Make it look like Zero tried to harm me and my knight rushed in to defend me. Sure, you'd be a martyr for two seconds, but after I killed all the Japanese, who would be left to avenge you?"_

Usagi's eyes shot open, wandering to where Lloyd and Cécile were at the controls and searching the screens for any sign of Suzaku and her brother. Euphemia had already killed dozens if not hundreds of Japanese. Dropping the Lancelot onto the battlefield for Suzaku to enter, Lloyd grabbed a hold of Usagi's arm before she could leave from where he and Cécile had stationed themselves at the control panel. "Wait, Usagi. Suzaku can handle himself."

Blowing her bangs from her face in frustration, the girl nervously braided her long hair behind her and secured it as she watched the Lancelot frame search for Euphemia. Thankfully, in the distance, Usagi caught sight of the Gawain, which was Zero's knightmare. Tugging at the collar of her white flight suit, the girl grumbled in annoyance. This was annoying! Sitting on the sidelines doing nothing while others got killed was not something she signed up for.

"Oh my, this is turning into a mess…" Lloyd commented, watching the lights on the screen start to rumble before them and Usagi narrowed her eyes, slipping away while Lloyd was distracted and Cécile had her back turned.

"_Guinevere knightmare frame activated, launching now."_

"What?! She can't do that, can she?!" Cécile screeched, launching herself at the controls to try and stop it as Lloyd held up a hand to stop her.

"Let her go. She obviously didn't like sitting around here not being able to do anything. We'll just be here when she gets back."

"But-!"

"Trust me, Cécile. She'll be fine."

* * *

"Die, Zero!" Euphemia shrieked, trying to get the gun to stop jamming as she replaced the ammo and looked up at the figure before her. Lelouch sighed, pulling out his own gun and taking aim at her, only to have it shot out of his hand by a third party. Zero growled as he caught sight of Suzaku, running over to them as he screamed for Euphemia to run. "You see? He still prefers me over her, and yet where is she? Off back at school, I assume. I heard about their fight, though. Couldn't have happened at a better time. Tell me, Lelouch. Do you think she'll still care when you and Suzaku don't come home today?" she asked, raising the machine gun to the knight as he approached, still running at full force towards them.

"EUPHIE, NO!"

The gun went off, multiple times, and Suzaku screamed in agony. Tackling the princess to the ground, Zero wrestled the gun from her grasp and threw it out of her reach, hearing his friend hit the ground with a sickening splat. Staring at Suzaku from where he had pinned Euphemia down, Lelouch felt his breath catch in his throat. "No, he can't be-"

**"_NO!"_ **

Zero stood quickly, catching sight of a white and gold knightmare coming at them at full speed as the familiar, anguished cries of Usagi filled the air from the intercom. The Guinevere knightmare scooped up the barely conscious Lancelot pilot, despite the fact that C2 and Kallen both tried to stop her, and effectively knocked the Guren out of the way as she sped back up towards the command center. Lloyd and Cécile raced towards the elevator, the woman gasping and feeling tears spring to her eyes as it opened to reveal the bloodstained Guinevere pilot cradling Suzaku in her arms. "Save him! Save Suzaku!" Usagi shrieked, blood freely dripping from both her and the boy as tears sprang to her eyes once again. Looking Lloyd and Cécile in the eye as she spoke, her Geass activated and created an environment that only the two of them could hear her for her next statement. "By the order of Serenity vi Britannia, **_save him_**! Save him _now_!"

* * *

A/N: … I dunno what to say about this chapter. I was in my brain and this kinda came out, and now it's on the internet. I hope it wasn't too crappy! Still trying to get the hang of writing this story again!


	7. This is War

A/N: Yup. Still procrastinating, but mostly because I'm waiting for my laundry to be done and I'd rather write than read for class. REGARDLESS! I am going to attempt to connect everything back to the beginning, if I can. Somehow. Maybe. Dunno how yet but we'll see. If I succeed I owe myself a cookie.

* * *

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

The sound echoed in the room as three people kept watch over the unconscious boy in the bed. The sound was a mix of terrifying and comforting all at once. If it kept going, then it meant he was alive. If it didn't… They would surely lose him. What if he stopped breathing? What if his heart started beating irregularly? What if they couldn't bring him back…?

All these thoughts were maddening, plaguing the dark-haired pilot who sat beside the bed, staring at the boy as if she should look away he would disappear. She watched every little movement he made and made a mental note of it every time something moved. His chest rising and falling, the way his eyelids twitched as he slept, his eyebrows coming together as his face contorted and she could practically see the wave of pain that racked his body and made his heart rate speed up. Every little bit reassured her that he was alive, but she knew deep in her heart that he was in a great deal of pain, and there was nothing she could do to help him.

She shouldn't have been so careless. She shouldn't have walked away from him angry. She should have gone back to fix it… But it was too late to wonder 'what if?' because it was in the past, and the present involved her watching over him. Just as she always did.

Lloyd and Cécile kept a close watch on both teenagers, Cécile being the one who slid into a seat beside Usagi and wrapping an arm around her shoulder. Lloyd turned away anyone and everyone who tried to barge in, unless they were part of the medical team assigned to the unconscious Suzaku. None of them brought up the girl's full name, nor did any of them feel like they needed to. Usagi had revealed herself to only them, and they did everything in their power to carry out her orders and save the Lancelot pilot. There was no need to inform any of the higher-ups, since obviously the girl had no intention of revealing herself to anyone unless it was a grave situation, but in the meantime it was an unspoken understanding that nobody would bring it up unless Usagi did.

Usagi, however, was too focused on Suzaku to even feel Cécile beside her. Her eyes were blank, her mind wandered, but her focus was solely on him. Every time he moved she would flinch, hoping he would open his eyes this time around, but it never came. Once he came close to waking up, but he passed out seconds later from the pain. This was maddening. She couldn't just sit here and do nothing! Unfortunately she didn't have a medical degree, so she honestly couldn't do anything about it. In the meantime, though, Cécile took over what would be Usagi's job and proceeded to boss around the medical team as they poked, prodded and injected the brown-haired boy with the painkillers and whatever else they had been giving him. This was all Euphemia's fault. Usagi had seen it happen. Euphemia was the one who shot Suzaku… And she was still out there.

Standing to her feet, the Guinevere pilot leaned over and pressed her lips to Suzaku's forehead, stroking his hair one last time before leaving the room, leaving Lloyd and Cécile to look after the white knight.

"Where do you think she's going?" Cécile asked, slightly concerned for the girl who'd barely spoken since the doctors took Suzaku from her.

"Cécile dear, even I know the look of a woman out for revenge when I see it. I'm surprised you didn't notice," Lloyd answered, causing Cécile to raise an eyebrow. "What? You don't think that's what she's after? She's been brooding in that chair for hours while this massacre is still going on, I would be angry too if I was her."

"Yes, but I'd hoped she would do something else besides go looking for trouble, it would only worry him if he woke up and she was go-"

_Guinevere Knightmare frame activated, launching now._

Lloyd sighed, shaking his head as he looked to Cécile, who stared out the window as the knightmare flew toward the carnage in the distance. "I just hope she knows what she's doing…" Lloyd murmured, tapping his chin as the white dot grew smaller.

* * *

All of this… This… Destruction. It was sickening. There were hundreds of bodies on the ground as medical teams rushed in to try and save more of the Japanese. The knightmare she was piloting wasn't as large as the Lancelot, but it moved a lot quicker because of it. Sure, unlike Cornelia's knightmare, Usagi's was a lot more compact, but at least it packed a punch along with its swift movements.

The raven-haired pilot blew a strand of loose hair from her eyes as she scanned the area, looking for the Gawain or any sort of familiar knightmare nearby. As she searched, the girl noticed more soldiers carrying out Euphemia's orders and sent a blast of blue energy their way, knocking their knightmares away from the citizens and into the abandoned buildings nearby. Usagi scooped up as many people as she could, transporting them to the nearest hospital or safe house before continuing on, more than a little nervous that she couldn't find anyone.

Still, she continued on, keeping an eye out for any of the black knights and beating the soldiers who were trying to kill more Japanese to a pulp, only to be interrupted by a call from Cécile after about half an hour.

"_Usagi you need to come back."_

"Not until I find her. She needs to pay for what she did."

"_Cornelia probably picked her up or someone else did. I find it highly unlikely that Euphemia would still be out there after all this time."_

"I don't care; I'm going to find her. How is Suzaku?"

"_He's hanging in there. Still hasn't woken up fully, but the doctors say he should be fine. He just needs rest."_

"Then make sure he gets it, alright? I'll be back soon."

"_Usagi this really isn't the time to—What the hell was that?"_

Usagi blinked, stopping where she was on top of a nearby building and using her geass to see what was going on. Visions came in handy every once in a while, she'd learned over the years, especially when she needed to conjure an illusion later on.

* * *

_INTRUDER ALERT. INTRUDER ALERT._

_The sirens of the aircraft blared, causing all security personnel to gather around where the alert had gone off, only to find nothing unusual. The men were about to turn back to their posts when the shots rang out, the Black Knights forcing their way into the aircraft and into the medical wing. Lloyd and Cécile were poised near the door, guns drawn, only to have the door blown open and the two of them thrown across the room. _

_Suzaku's eyes shot open, taking a gasp for air as his green eyes darted from where Lloyd and Cécile had landed to the black knights approaching him. He attempted to move, shuddering violently as a wave of pain shot through his body, only to have Kallen hold him down as a larger woman injected him with a sedative and he lost consciousness once again._

* * *

"No…" Usagi whispered, her eyes flying open as she turned her knightmare around. She was ready to dart back to the aircraft at any second; her eyes searched the sky trying to locate where it had drifted, only to be cut off by the large black knightmare of Lelouch's.

"_Stay out of it, Usagi."_

"Don't you fucking dare tell me what to do," she snarled, hitting her brother's _Gawain_ with a blast of blue energy, turning the _Guinevere_ frame back to the sky and launching herself towards the aircraft. Dodging the red blasts of the _Gawain_, Usagi pressed a button on her controls (which Cécile was nice enough to label for her due to her inexperience) and sent a barrage of grenades towards the _Gawain_, causing the knightmare to fall behind a great deal before she made it back to the aircraft. Usagi launched herself out of the _Guinevere_, running at full speed past unconscious guards and medics, flying past the soldiers who asked if she was alright, bursting into Suzaku's room at long last. She looked around, noting the scorch marks on the wall, Cécile and Lloyd getting bandaged up by the medics, but she fell to her knees at the sight of Suzaku's bloodstained sheets. "No…" she choked, gripping the sheets in her gloved hands as she buried her face in the bed, letting out a screech of despair into the padding. He couldn't be gone… He just couldn't. She couldn't bear to lose him again. This was all her fault. She should have been here.

Lelouch.

Lelouch was the one who took him.

Lelouch and Kallen.

Both of them.

They betrayed her.

Usagi snarled, her geass flashing angrily at the realization as a low growl formed deep in her throat. They would pay for this. Every last one of them. Especially Lelouch. She would destroy them all. Every single one.

* * *

_Weeks later._

_Clomp. Clomp. Clomp._

The sound of the guards in heavy boots echoed through the cell walls, even if someone was asleep, they'd either never sleep again or go mad trying to figure out when the guards would come for them. It was maddening, every day the same sound-the clomping of boots up and down the halls of the jail-like holding place in the Black Knight's base. There were men begging for release to get back to their wives and children, there were some who just screamed profanities and told of a great evil that would descend on the guards' souls if they were not let out.

The footsteps stopped in front of a more isolated cell in the third cell block, the guards positioning themselves on either side of the door as a man in a black cloak approached, his face covered by his trademark helmet. Zero was making a personal call to one of the prisoners.

"When I go in, neither of you are to repeat anything you may have heard, understood?" Zero commented as the guards stood at attention and nodded.

"Yes sir!"

"Good, that is all" Zero answered, the larger of the two guards plugging in the combo in the keypad and the door slid open. Zero slid into the room and closed the door behind him and smirked beneath his helmet at the male crumpled on the floor. Arms bound behind his back, brown hair sticking out every which way, and when Zero entered, emerald green eyes glared right back up at him. "Hello, Suzaku Kururugi."

"So, the king himself decided to grant me a visit this time," Suzaku croaked, forcing a smirk up at the other male as Zero got a good look at his face. Bruises and small cuts decorated the White Knight's tan skin, going down his face and all over his body. So Suzaku was less cooperative than he'd expected, excellent.

"Oh you flatter me Sir Knight, and here I thought you hated me," Zero could easily banter with the boy. He'd done it for years when they were kids, and yet Suzaku hadn't figured out it was Lelouch behind the mask. Idiot. At his words, Suzaku glared up at Zero again, but was smart enough not to say anything, so Zero continued. "So anyway, back to the main reason why I'm here. It seems Euphemia has been planning something with Cornelia to get back at me for stealing you away. Would you happen to know anything about that, sir knight?"

Suzaku's face fell, but he quickly covered it up with another smirk "So the great Zero can't even figure out what a princess is planning. You know she's going to save me, so what makes you think I'd tell you what she's thinking?"

Zero couldn't help but laugh at Suzaku's words. He set himself up for it. Once he'd gotten ahold of himself, Zero smirked, pulling a photograph out of his pocket and tossing it at the boy. Suzaku looked down at the picture and his eyes widened in horror at the shot of Lelouch and his family out in the schoolyard and a dark-haired girl that shared many of Lelouch's features tackled his best friend in the photo. "I happen to know that your Rabbit is back in Japan, with her brother. If you don't cooperate then I'll be forced to eliminate the only people left that you care for."

"Don't you dare bring them into this!" Suzaku roared, trying to stand to his feet, but falling to his knees in exhaustion from his beating earlier this morning. Zero laughed at the boy and walked over, grabbing Suzaku by the neck and slamming him against the wall behind him, the brunette whimpering in pain.

"You're not in a position to be making demands, Kururugi. And besides, since when do you care about Usagi? You accepted Euphemia's offer to be her knight, did you not? How does Usagi feel about all this anyway?" Zero answered, his own anger towards the boy showing. Lelouch had sat idly by as his sister's heart broke when she heard on the news-not from Suzaku-that he was to be Euphemia's knight. Usagi and Suzaku have had feelings for each other since childhood and he goes off and pledges himself to another. It infuriated Lelouch that his best friend would do that, and now he wanted answers. If he got to destroy Euphemia for his twin as a result, then he'd be fine with that. At his questioning, Suzaku's eyes widened in shock, Zero raising an eyebrow as he noticed the pain in Suzaku's eyes. What the hell was with this guy? "You didn't tell her, did you? How low. Claiming to care for someone, then pledging yourself to her sister-"

"Shut up!" Suzaku cried, earning another slam against the wall from Zero. The boy bit his lip to prevent another cry of pain, feeling some liquid start to seep from the back of his head. Zero noted he'd actually drawn blood from the boy and he growled, giving Suzaku's neck a slight squeeze.

"Talk, or I'll make the call and your friends will be gone," Zero hissed, listening to Suzaku gasp for air and attempt to secure his feet to the wall to get some leverage and air into his lungs. When tears started to fall from those large green eyes, and Suzaku finished struggling, Zero let go, the boy falling to the ground again. Suzaku curled up on the ground, still bound, but crying all the same as he looked up at his captor-the fury leaving his eyes and being replaced with the same anguish Lelouch had seen years ago.

"Please, I don't know… Please don't hurt them… Please Zero…."

Zero was so glad he was wearing a mask right now; otherwise Suzaku would have to see the pained expression on his face as he kneeled down by the boy, moving a strand of brown hair out of his face as he cried. Even though he'd never admit it, it hurt to see his best friend like this, and it also hurt to know about the boy's inner anguish and have to keep treating him like some kind of animal. Before he made his final call on Suzaku's fate later on, he needed to know the truth behind everything. He needed to know what Suzaku was thinking. "If you had to choose between Euphemia and the friends who have known and loved you for all those years, which would you choose?"

Suzaku tensed up at the question, at first not hearing it since he was ready for Zero to hit him again, but he stopped, looking up at his captor with a raised eyebrow as he processed the question. Lelouch, Usagi and the others, or Euphemia? How could he decide…? The boy closed his eyes, trying to think of why he was so torn, and flashes of memories went through his mind.

_"I'm… Euphie!"_

_"Well new kid, want to work on this thing together?"_

_"Same old Suzaku, always thinking of everyone but himself."_

_"You didn't even__tell__me that being her knight was an option!"_

Suzaku felt his heart throb, opening his eyes and feeling a few more tears fall, curling back up in a ball on the ground and ignoring Zero's question. The other boy sighed, standing and walking towards the door, but catching Suzaku whispering to himself as he cried. "I'm so sorry… Usagi… Please forgive me…"

Zero smirked, knowing that answered his question well enough and leaving the room, leaving a broken and injured knight behind. Now was the time for action. Whether Euphemia liked it or not, she was going to have a war on her hands, and it wasn't going to be pretty. It didn't matter how much Lelouch loved Euphemia, his full-blood siblings came first, above anyone else-especially his twin. Zero walked down the hall, pulling out his phone and sighing, pressing a number on speed dial and putting the phone to his ear "C2, I need you to come down here and take Suzaku somewhere. He's of no use to me anymore."

"And where, pray tell, do you want me to take him?"

"Back to my house, it's been long enough. I can't put him and my sister through this anymore."

"And people say you have no heart" C2 chuckled

"Just shut up and do it" he sighed, turning off the phone and leaving back down the hall where he came, the guards going back to their routines and the men in the cells going back to their ramblings. Lelouch turned, looking back at his best friend as the guards walked into his cell and untied his wrists, giving Suzaku back the pictures he'd had in his Lancelot and telling him he'd be removed within the week, locking him back in the cell. Suzaku seemed confused, but he smiled as he started to stick his photos up on the wall, coming to a picture of himself and Euphemia, frowning and ripping it in half-right between him and the pink-haired princess. Euphemia had no plan to save him, he knew that now, but in the meantime he didn't want to see her face again. Zero smiled, knowing Suzaku had finally seen the light and left the room, going home to tell Usagi the news.

* * *

"Onee-chan, come on… You have to come out of this room sometime…" Rolo murmured, leaning against the doorframe of the student council room. His violet eyes watched his sister warily, noting how she'd barely gotten dressed this morning, let alone do anything with her hair. She'd been like this since she came home from the massacre. About 200 people had lost their lives, many more were injured, but overall Euphemia's attempted wipe out of the Japanese was unsuccessful.

"Don't tell her what to do, Rolo! It took her this long to come to the school, we're just happy she's not dead!" Shirley demanded, glaring at the youngest Lamperouge sibling before plopping herself down on the window seat beside her friend, who still sported that glazed look upon her face as she stared out onto the courtyard.

"It's not healthy to shut herself up in the school, though! It's been weeks, for all we know he's-"

"Don't you _dare_."

Rolo's eyes snapped up to look at his sister, who had turned her head and glared at him, making the boy step backwards in shock. She hadn't spoken to him or Lelouch in weeks, she'd only speak to Nunnally, and now here she was about to rip his head off.

Nunnally rolled over to her brother, careful to do it slowly so that she didn't run over his feet, and felt around for his hand before she gave it a squeeze. "Rolo. It's not nice to say things like that."

"But-!"

"No, Rolo."

The younger twin frowned, looking slightly hurt before Nunnally gave his hand another squeeze to reassure him. "Let's go back home for a while, okay? We can have some tea."

Rolo stood there for a moment longer, not sure whether he wanted to leave but a little terrified of what Usagi would do if Nunnally left the room, so he took a hold of his sister's wheelchair and left with his twin.

Usagi sighed, leaning her forehead against the window as she pulled her knees to her chest, feeling a little safer in the ball she'd folded herself into. Shirley reached over and touched her arm, making Usagi flinch but she turned to look at her anyway, seeing her friend give her a small smile. "It's going to be okay…"

The dark-haired female shook her head, curling up tighter and placing her forehead on her knees as her arms wrapped around her legs and squeezed, forcing her tears back down her throat before they resurfaced. She hated everything that had happened in the last few weeks. Euphemia and Cornelia have been working to oppress the Japanese people, the sub-viceroy had gotten a new knight, Suzaku had been MIA all this time. The world was falling apart, and yet only that last bit was upsetting her so much. The pilot of the _Guinevere_ had not returned to her knightmare, knowing that if she did show up for training that she would have to see the _Lancelot_, and that was something she was not ready to see just yet. She stopped watching the news, she didn't listen to the radio anymore, and she completely shut herself out from the world, keeping herself locked in her bedroom for the longest time. It took Nunnally starting to cry for her to eat, and the only time she left her room was to go to the bathroom, but none of her siblings could get her to go to school or to talk to Lelouch. She still blamed him for everything. This was all his doing. His fault.

Lelouch had tried to come into her room, multiple times, to try and explain to her, but Usagi sent him away by sending him horrific visions with her Geass. Soon Lelouch stopped trying and just listened by her door as she cried. Every night, without fail, she would cry herself to sleep. It was the only way she could tire herself out enough to sleep through the night without seeing Suzaku being run down over and over again. Sure, Lelouch's command for him to live was enough to save him this time, but what if the Black Knights hurt him enough that the command wouldn't go through? What then?

"_Both of us, or none of us right?"_

The girl felt a small smile cross her features as she pulled her legs closer. That was something the two of them had agreed to when they were children. If one of them went somewhere, the other would follow, and if one didn't go somewhere then the other wouldn't either. It was all or nothing when it came to the two of them, and that's the way it had always been; thick as thieves and inseparable until that day. She broke her promise, and here she was miserable and alone.

The door burst open, revealing an excited Rivalz, but Usagi paid no heed. Instead she rubbed her eyes and leaned against the window as the boy chattered on about something that had gotten him all worked up. Before she knew it, Shirley had left her side and started chattering with Rivalz, and at that point Usagi figured it probably had something to do with an event Milly was planning, but she didn't expect what ended up happening.

Staring out the window, Usagi mostly paid attention to the animals that had gathered around to play, feeling a small smile creep to her face as a puppy she'd seen around campus joined the group of woodland creatures and the bunch of them started chasing each other. Sure, she had a weakness for fluffy things, but the scene was rather amusing. She wished she had her camera. Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her from the side, causing her to tense up instantly and almost toss the person into next week when she caught the faint scent of their hair. Suzaku.

Her eyes shot up, still bloodshot and tired, but she knew when something was real and not one of her illusions. This Suzaku was real. He was tired, beaten and bruised, but he was real and he was right there. Usagi choked out a chuckle, her eyes starting to water as her hands immediately flew to his face and held him. She wanted so badly to call him by name, but her voice was broken and stuck in her throat, so instead she simply pulled him closer and leaned her forehead against his as she cried. His arms tightened around her at the contact, causing her to sob slightly, but soon he pressed his lips to hers and she felt a little better. "I'm sorry…" she whispered, burying her face into his neck and wrapping her arms tightly around him. "I'm so sorry, Suzaku…"

The boy shook his head, placing his forehead on her shoulder as he wound his arms around her and pulled her against him. "You have nothing to be sorry for… I should've listened when you were telling me I was being stupid," he answered quietly, feeling her against his injuries and wincing, but he gave her a squeeze regardless. "Both of us or none of us, right?"

"Yeah…" she smiled, hearing him chuckle lightly in response before she felt warm, salty drops fall from his eyes and onto her. "I've missed you…" she murmured, feeling him shake as he clung to her, mumbling something about missing her more before she caught sight of Lelouch over Suzaku's shoulder. She narrowed her eyes at her brother as her grip on Suzaku tightened; causing Lelouch to hold up his hands in surrender and offer an apologetic smile. The girl glared at him, eventually breaking eye contact in favor of focusing her attention fully on Suzaku, who was starting to bleed through his shirt from his initial injuries and the two of them left with Shirley and Rivalz to take him to the nurse.

Rolo eventually wandered to his older brother's side, crossing his arms over his chest before narrowing his eyes at his sibling. "Don't pull that shit again, Nii-san. That wasn't cool."

"I can't always control what they do, Rolo,"

"That doesn't mean you had to keep him all this time," he hissed, causing Lelouch to glare at him.

"Yes, I did. If he'd stopped being stubborn and just did as I asked he wouldn't have been there as long as he had been, but alas he is a pain in the ass like that." Lelouch answered coldly, sticking his hands in his pockets as Rolo sighed.

"Regardless, you're lucky to still be standing,"

Lelouch raised an eyebrow at his brother, watching Rolo closely as he continued. "You weren't there when she came home. After breaking every single picture and anything that reminded her of him-and you-she screamed about how she was going to kill you when you got back. Thankfully Nunnally wasn't home or that would have been bad, but I convinced her that it wasn't a good idea. You knew where he was and if she killed you, she would never know. So until you came home, she wore that damn bloody flight suit around the house as she moped. I'm lucky Nunnally couldn't see her, but she could smell her."

The older brother's eyes widened at the explanation, seeing Rolo turn to face him with a grave expression upon his face. "If you _ever_ do that to her again, whether you meant to or not, I won't hesitate to tell Nunnally what you've been doing and allow Usagi to kill you. I'm not going to keep protecting you if you're going to tear our family apart."

Rolo turned on his heel and started after his sister and the others on their way to the nurse, not stopping to hear whatever Lelouch may have had to say, but he sensed that his brother wasn't going to be too happy with him from then on.

Lelouch glared after his brother, his blood boiling as his fists clenched. How dare he?! Who the hell was he to order him around? Lelouch was the older brother, not Rolo. Rolo was not in a position to be making demands. And here he was threatening to tell Nunnally everything! Rolo was going to screw this all up for him. Maybe it was about time that he got rid of Rolo… But then again, if he got rid of Rolo, Usagi would turn on him more than she already had, and if she did that he would have to kill her too. If he killed Usagi… Then Suzaku would come after him for revenge… And if he killed Suzaku, he'd be just as bad as Euphemia. He couldn't allow himself to become like her. Unfortunately he was halfway there for keeping his best friend hostage all this time. He needed to regroup before things got worse.

Turning on his heel and going back towards the house, Lelouch was too upset to sense the person watching them, who'd witnessed the whole interaction.

The lenses of glasses flashed dangerously as Nina emerged from the shadows, watching Lelouch and his family part ways and narrowing her eyes at the last glimpse of Suzaku before they rounded the corner and disappeared from sight. He was no longer Euphemia's knight, and therefore he wasn't someone she needed to tolerate any longer since her princess had replaced him. That damn eleven had no business being at a Brittannian school, nor did he belong on the student council with the rest of them. He didn't belong here, so Nina would take things into her own hands. Maybe then she could gain favor with Princess Euphemia. Maybe then.

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry Nina lovers, but she creeps me the fuck out. I had to. Besides the fact that I still don't remember a lot of my points from when I first wrote this so I'm just doing the best I can. Besides, I'm a horrible person and I just wanna hug Suzaku and love him and yadda yadda yadda so I gotta have bad things happen so Usagi can cling to him. Yeah, I know. Horrible person. I apologize. Haha.


End file.
